


To Not Forget

by Magnonette



Series: Whumptober 2020 [25]
Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Anxiety, Cold, Fluff and Angst, Sick Character, Sickfic, Snusmumriken | Snufkin Whump, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:14:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27195629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnonette/pseuds/Magnonette
Summary: Snufkin was early on his way back to the Valley. He was a little too early, getting into colder climates without being prepared for them. He was eager to go back to his friends soon. But, as he was on his way, he starts to feel weird.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Series: Whumptober 2020 [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948144
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	To Not Forget

**Author's Note:**

> I Think I’ll Just Collapse Right Here, Thanks - Disorientation - Blurred Vision - Ringing Ears

Winter was coming to an end. The snow was starting to slowly coming to a stop, letting the grass peek through the small puddles of snow. It was that time of the year again when Snufkin had to return to MoominValley and his friends to start a new year of adventures. 

Snufkin was on his way back. Everything had gone very well during the whole winter. Nothing really big had happened. He had mostly spent his time going around to explore new paths he’d never be on before, enjoying the landscapes, and, of course, pranking a few park keepers and burning their horrible, outrageous signs.

He was so eager to go back and to meet with his friends again. He had started to go back a little earlier this year, wanting to arrive on the first day of Spring, just before everyone woke up.

He was regretting a little his decision about now, as the weather was still cold and wasn’t clearing yet, making it hard for him to travel back. He wasn’t prepared for the cold climate, his clothes much too light for the snow and the icy rain.

He had to be close to the Valley now. He wasn’t sure how long it would take to arrive, but maybe about a few days left before he was there. If his calculations were right he could be there about a day or two before everyone woke up. At least, that was if he managed to walk enough every day.

The only problem now was that he wasn’t feeling at his best. He wasn’t sure if he was just too tired, after having troubles sleeping in his cold tent, or if he had caught something. He had been feeling very weak for a few days now, his throat was dry, and he had a consistent headache.

He couldn’t be sick now, he just couldn’t. If he was sick now, he would be late to return to the Valley and everyone would forget about him. They would be mad that he broke his promise. He couldn’t lose the only place close to home that he’d found. He couldn’t lose his only friends.

Snufkin couched violently as he tried to warm himself in front of his fire. He groaned, realizing that it wasn’t just the exhaustion. He hated being sick more than anything and the timing was the worst. He just couldn’t stop to rest, who knew how long it would take for him to recover. He just had to press on.

Snufkin got up, wincing at the soreness of his members. He went to fetch his bag, rummaging through it to get his first aid kit out. He knew he had to make himself to tea, at least for his dried throat, but he knew it wouldn’t do much without rest.

At least it would be more than nothing.

Everything was going wrong. He should have rested, he should have listened to his own body, to the first symptoms of a sickness. He should have stayed in the warmer climate just a few more days.

He had thought that he could get there before it got too bad, had thought he could manage to put up his tent by the bridge, and then he would have some time to rest before everyone woke up.

Now, he was regretting everything. His throat, already dry before, was hurting so much more, he was pretty sure that he had lost his voice now. His headache was permanent and was only getting worse day after day. His body was all sore and complained everyday while he continued to press on. Now, his ears were starting to ring, making it worse for his poor tired head. Even his eyes were starting to refuse to work with him. His vision, already swaying before, making it hard for his dizzy mind to find the right way, but now, it was slowly getting more and more blurred.

He couldn’t stop now. He didn’t even have the energy to think about putting up his tent. He wanted nothing more than to be at MoominHouse, in a warm bed, and with MoominMamma fussing over him. At least, then, he would feel much better.

He just had to continue to walk. He couldn’t let himself stop now. If he stopped, even for a second, he wasn’t sure that he could be able to start walking again.

He wasn’t even sure where he was. His treacherous eyes were betraying his usually good sense of direction, his tired mind couldn’t focus on where he could be and where he should go to get back to the Valley.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been pressing on by now. It seemed like ages since he started walking. At that point, he was practically walking blind, his vision much too blurry and confusing for him to really know where he was. He was hoping that he was going the right way, that he wasn’t lost, but he had no way to know now. His legs were exhausted, hurting like he’d been walking for days without stopping. 

It was it, he was going to die here. He didn’t where he was, didn’t know when it was, but he couldn’t make it. He just knew it. His legs had given up, giving away under him. His face now pressing against what he assumed to be mud. He couldn’t feel his body anymore, frozen by the cold. His head was hurting so much, he couldn’t handle it anymore, that and his ringing ears making it hell for his exhausted brain.

He wouldn’t make it. He was sorry that he wouldn’t make it to his friends. They wouldn’t even know what happened to him. They would think that he just decided not to come back. They probably would hate him for breaking his promise.

Everything faded to black.

When he woke up, he was very confused. He was sure he should be dead, how could he be alive? He’d passed out god knows where. What could have happened to save him?

He could feel a damp cloth on his forehead. He had a weird taste in his mouth. Medicine? He seemed to be laying in a warm bed, on a soft mattress, a warm and comfortable blanket tucked around him.

His head was still hurting a lot, but at least the ringing in his ears was almost gone, reduced to a light buzzing. His body was still painful but the warmth of the blanket was doing a wonderful job at warming his cold and sore body.

Snufkin tried to open his eyes, groaning at the light of the room. His head complained with the sudden light, but the headache dimmed after a little.

“Snufkin!” Moomin was next to him, looking very worried. “You’re awake! How are you feeling.”

“Moo-” Snufkin tried to talk but dissolved into a coughing fit, his dry throat making it had to get out any word.

“Oh! Wait! I’ll get you something to drink!” Moomin exclaimed as he hurried out of the room.

He soon came back with a cup of tea with a heavy dose of honey. Snufkin drank it obediently, thankful for the drink as he was also extremely thirsty. 

“How?” He asked with a scratchy, quiet voice. “How did I get here?”

“Oh. I saw you arriving from the forest, but you immediately collapse. I was so worried. You wouldn’t wake up when I shook you and you were burning with a really bad fever.” Moomin explained, playing nervously with his tail. “Mamma said you must have caught something with the cold and had pushed yourself too hard, and made it worst.”

Snufkin found himself dumbfounded, he really should have rested. If only he hadn’t let his stupid fears take him over and push him to his limits. He couldn’t have been more lucky to have collapse right there, in MoominValley, in front of Moomin.

“Are you, at least, feeling better?” Moomin asked timidly.

“No by much.” Snufkin admitted quietly.

MoominMamma entered the room before any of them could say anything else. She gave Snufkin some medicine, checking his fever and humming quietly before announcing that his fever was going down. She explained to Snufkin that he made himself worse by pushing himself instead of resting, scolding him and telling him that he should take better care of his health.

She made sure he would rest for the next few days, asking Moomin to leave him alone, so he could sleep the sickness off. She fussed over him during those days, not allowing him to leave the bed aside from the quick use of the bathroom.

After a few days, any symptoms of the sickness was gone and Snufkin could finally go out again, and set up his tent by the bridge. He then took out his fishing rod and went to fish on the bridge. He was soon joined by Moomin, who was happy and relieved to see him healthy again.

“Can I ask you a question?” Moomin asked quietly.

“Of course. What is it?” Snufkin said easily.

“Why didn’t you stop to rest? Mamma said you’d have been fine if you just rested for a few days.” Moomin asked timidly, back at playing with his tail nervously.

“I-” Snufkin almost choked. He hadn’t been prepared for such question. “I didn’t want you to forget me or be mad at me for breaking my promise.” He mumbled, more to himself than for Moomin to hear.

“I would never forget you or be mad at you for that!” Moomin exclaimed, almost offended. “How could I? You’re my best friend! I know you need your time alone, and that you need to travel. I know that you might come late in the Spring, but it’s only because you can’t be sure of when exactly you’ll come back. I know that you always keep your promises. And even if you decided to not come back, I wouldn’t hold it against you. I wouldn’t be mad and I would even less forget you. You’re too important to me.”

Snufkin wasn’t sure of what to say. He immediately hid under his hat, hiding the tears slowly building up in his eyes at the emotion he could hear in the other’s voice. 

Moomin seemed to notice, but he didn’t say anything, only taking hold of Snufkin’s free paw and squeezing it, smiling warmly at him when he finally looked up timidly at him.

“I know how you never break a promise on purpose. And I know that you promised me to come back ever Spring to reassure me that you would. I think I should return it for you.” He said, a little awkwardly. “I swear that I’ll never forget you, or get mad at you for coming back late.”

Snufkin didn’t reply to that, too stunned to say anything. He squeezed back Moomin’s paw, hoping it would answer for him.

With that, they took to fishing peacefully on the bridge for the rest of the morning, happy to be with each other.

Snufkin was so relieved that his friend swore to never forget him, that he seemed s o sincere about it. He hoped it wouldn’t come to be a lie but, at least for now, he could believe that he really wouldn’t be forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story!
> 
> Yes, it's a little cliché by now. Snufkin gets a bad cold and comes back very sick. I'm a little disappointed on that one because it could have been longer and more interesting but, honestly, I'm starting to feel more and more burn out from writing all these fics every day, I usually take time to think over it before posting so it's a little hard for me. It is good practice tho, and I like it. Maybe I'll come back on some of those fics later, not in November but maybe after, to change a few things to make them better.


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